Croup

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Hi there!

You’re looking at a short reference article from Explain Medicine (one of four distinct learning formats available in Clinical Odyssey). Try it out, and have fun improving your clinical skills.

Pediatrics

Last updated on:
November 5^th, 2020

Pediatrics

Last updated on:
November 5^th, 2020

Hi there!

You’re looking at a short reference article from Explain Medicine (one of four distinct learning formats available in Clinical Odyssey). Try it out, and have fun improving your clinical skills.

Clinicals - History

Fact	Explanation
Introduction	Croup is a viral infection of the respiratory tract that generally occurs in children between the ages of 6 months to 5 years. Parainfluenza types 1 and 3 are the most commonly implicated pathogens. Influenza A and B, adenovirus, respiratory syncytial virus, and metapneumovirus are other key agents.
Barking cough	Patients with croup often have a characteristic cough that is reminiscent of a seal barking; this cough appears abruptly and is more common in severe disease. Note that this finding may be absent in older children or adults, however. The underlying cause appears to be inflammation of the trachea and other subglottic structures.
Stridor	Patients may manifest high-pitched wheezing sounds. This is due to turbulent airflow through partially obstructed airways.
Nonspecific symptoms	A prodromed of nonspecific syptoms such as cough, rhinorrhea, coryza, and fever often precedes the barking cough and stridor by 24 to 72 hours.

Introduction

Croup is a viral infection of the respiratory tract that generally occurs in children between the ages of 6 months to 5 years. Parainfluenza types 1 and 3 are the most commonly implicated pathogens. Influenza A and B, adenovirus, respiratory syncytial virus, and metapneumovirus are other key agents.

Barking cough

Patients with croup often have a characteristic cough that is reminiscent of a seal barking; this cough appears abruptly and is more common in severe disease. Note that this finding may be absent in older children or adults, however. The underlying cause appears to be inflammation of the trachea and other subglottic structures.

Stridor

Patients may manifest high-pitched wheezing sounds. This is due to turbulent airflow through partially obstructed airways.

Nonspecific symptoms

A prodromed of nonspecific syptoms such as cough, rhinorrhea, coryza, and fever often precedes the barking cough and stridor by 24 to 72 hours.

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